McHenry Hohnen, Hazel's Vineyard Chardonnay 2023

Hazel's Vineyard Chardonnay, McHenry Hohnen 2023 (Single Vineyard)

Margaret River, Australia

Grape Variety: Chardonnay

Alcohol: 13.5% ABV

The Story

Biodynamic farming, minimal intervention winemaking, single vineyard wines of Margaret River.

Since its inception McHenry Hohnen has had an unwavering focus on crafting site expressive wines. As the vines age and the soils continue to evolve, the individuality and beauty of the land continually develop in our wines.

The wines of McHenry Hohnen are sourced from the family estate consisting of three vineyards, all located in the southern part of the Margaret River Wine Region: Hazel’s Vineyard and Farm, Calgardup Brook Vineyard and Burnside Vineyard. For decades, founder and owner Murray McHenry has been a leading proponent in pushing the viticultural boundaries of this pristine region. While the portfolio is grounded in Chardonnay and Bordeaux varieties, McHenry Hohnen are also well regarded for less traditional varieties for this region such as Marsanne, Roussanne, Grenache, Mataro and Zinfandel.

McHenry Hohnen see their role as stewards of the land and have implemented organic farming practices for many years to create the optimal conditions for soil health and the quality of the grapes harvested. The winemaking team craft wines that pay homage to the site of origin and use low impact techniques combined with an acute attention to detail to achieve the goal of the finest site specific wines.

Whilst the story of McHenry Hohnen is steeped in the history of the region, we look to the future with anticipation as our soil, vines and wines continue to evolve.

Vineyard & Winemaking

100% Hazel’s Vineyard. Our southernmost vineyard which is further inland than our Burnside and Calgardup vineyards. Hazel’s combines cooling Southern Ocean influences with a northerly aspect and plenty of sunshine. Soil type: Ironstone gravel loam.

Grown on an ironstone ridge with a favourable northern aspect, this unique patch of vines is in the middle section of the slope. The small and concentrated bunches were hand-picked, whole bunch pressed, and the juice transferred directly to oak with full solids. Fermented by native yeast in the finest selection of French oak barriques (approximately 40% new). Batonnage to encourage autolytic activity was based on flavour and no MLF to retain the natural acidity of this vintage. The wine was racked out of barrels to tank in November before bottling in January 2024.

Tasting Notes:

Flint rock, pink grapefruit, and mealy aromas give way to white nectarine, frangipani and a seductive nougat element. Elegant and complex, this Chardonnay is powerful in fruit concentration and restrained by a precise acid line, with talk-like phenolics and impressive persistence. A true representation of this exceptional gravelly vineyard in southern Margaret River.

Cellaring & Service

Cellaring Potential: 10-15 years

Serving Temperature: 12–14°C

Allergens: This wine contains sulphites

Accolades